[Test Drive] 500 Horsepower from 3 Motors... The Racing Instinct of Audi SQ8 e-tron

Q8 e-tron High-Performance Electric Version SQ8 e-tron
500 Horsepower with 3 Motors... Smooth Acceleration
0-100 km/h in 4.5 Seconds... Awakening the Racing Instinct in an Electric Car

500-horsepower electric car equipped with 3 motors.

This was information I had only encountered in numbers before driving the Audi high-performance electric car SQ8 e-tron. Having already been highly satisfied with the standard trim electric car Audi Q8 e-tron, which I drove about two months ago, I did not feel the need for the high-performance version.

However, after test-driving the SQ8 e-tron, my thoughts on high-performance electric cars completely changed. The smooth acceleration and explosive torque were enough to awaken the instinct to race. The difference from traditional internal combustion engine racing is that instead of the growling engine sound, there is a quiet motor sound and the uniquely powerful torque of an electric car.

Audi SQ8 e-tron

This car continues the legacy of Audi’s first pure electric vehicle, the ‘e-tron,’ launched in 2018. It was released in South Korea last June as a facelifted model of the Q8 e-tron. Among them, I test-drove the high-performance version, the SQ8 e-tron Sportback model, on the 25th of last month (local time) in Germany, marking the first time for the domestic press. I drove around Audi’s city, Ingolstadt, Germany.

The charm of the SQ8 e-tron lies in its driving performance. Having test-driven many electric cars recently, it can be said to have the smoothest acceleration. Despite a curb weight of 2.8 tons, the moment you press the accelerator, the car leaps forward. This car delivers up to 503 horsepower (370 kW) and a maximum torque of 99.24 kg·m. The time it takes to accelerate from a standstill to 100 km/h (zero to sixty) is 4.5 seconds.

Audi SQ8 e-tron Interior
Photo by Woo Su-yeon

The top speed is 210 km/h. I drove up to 180 km/h in the unlimited speed zone on the Autobahn. Even at high speeds, stable driving without shaking was possible. The torque, which can deliver up to about 100 kg·m momentarily, was also excellent. This driving performance is thanks to the three motors equipped with advanced technology and the high-capacity battery.

Audi equipped the basic Q8 e-tron model with two motors, but the high-performance SQ8 e-tron has three motors. One is placed on the front axle and two on the rear axle, providing up to 500 horsepower. In particular, the two rear motors quickly distribute power to each rear wheel as needed, delivering dynamic and stable driving performance.

Additionally, improvements were made to the motor concept to achieve immediate torque response. The number of coils generating the electromagnetic field was increased from 12 to 14 to create a stronger magnetic field. This not only increased the power of the electric motor but also reduced energy consumption, extending the driving range.

In this facelifted model, Audi also changed the battery concept. The battery capacity was increased by 19 kWh to 114 kWh compared to the previous model. Although the battery pack size remains the same, the arrangement of the battery cells was changed to increase the amount of energy that can be stored. This means an extended driving range compared to a battery of the same size. The increased weight (28 kg) from the larger battery capacity was offset by applying lightweight new materials throughout the vehicle. The driving range per charge is 303 km.

Audi SQ8 e-tron [Photo by Woo Su-yeon]

Another improvement in this facelift was the UI (User Interface) displaying the instrument cluster and infotainment. A car-shaped graphic identical to the Audi SQ8 e-tron was displayed in the center of the instrument cluster, showing cars passing around it in real time. It recognized whether the surrounding vehicles were sedans, trucks, or two-wheelers and displayed them in real time, demonstrating technological advancement.

In addition, the Audi SQ8 e-tron is equipped with various driver assistance systems. These include Side Assist, which detects blind spots and rear vehicles during driving and sends warning signals; Intersection Assist, which recognizes vehicles at intersections and warns of potential collisions; and front and rear parking assist systems that use ultrasonic sensors to detect distances to objects and display them on the screen. The domestic launch price of this car is 154.6 million KRW.